Sam DiGiovanni Articles - Page 42

Oftentimes, core players on a football team that uplift the team through different eras consist of quarterback and other skill positions. But for the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s offensive linemen Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson and defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox, who are about to play their 11th season together. The Eagles’ quartet of […]

Is Daniel Jones elite? The New York Giants quarterback has a few big-time believers but you would be hard-pressed to find a lot of people who believe that Jones is on that level. We can’t get the Joe Flacco dialogue started here without more than just a season of being decent. But…at the very least, […]

Jordan Love enters year no. 1 as the starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers with a single start under his belt. That experience may be insightful for how he approaches this year in only one major way: that he’ll be prepared to face the unexpected. Statistically, Love performed fine in his first start, a […]

Trevor Lawrence is looking to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars to the postseason again in 2023. Even more attention and pressure will be placed on the budding star entering his third season in the NFL. It made him a natural candidate for one of the biggest new sports shows, though he isn’t ready to be on […]

The Chicago White Sox are wrapping up another disappointing season, but this one has a silver lining: they sold at the trade deadline, adding some prospects to their farm system in exchange for veterans that are either aging or set to leave this offseason. But they also nearly made a move to add a veteran […]

The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox provided some major fireworks on Saturday, though it didn’t have anything to do with the game. Jose Ramirez and Tim Anderson threw hands in a dugout-clearing skirmish where Ramirez landed a right hook on Anderson, sending him to the ground. After Ramirez slid into second base for a […]

Trea Turner’s terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad season for the Philadelphia Phillies is starting ever so slightly to pick up. Following a road series against the Miami Marlins that featured a fielding blunder that contributed to an extra-innings loss and a demotion to the eighth spot in the lineup, it was clear that Turner’s spirits […]

The United States Women’s National Team was defeated in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the round of 16. The USWNT fought hard and went to a penalty shootout with Sweden but failed to get it done. For the first time ever, the USWNT failed to reach at least third place. The squad lost […]

The United States Women’s National Team came into the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup looking to capture the grand prize once again. The USWNT’s quest ended much earlier than anticipated as Sweden knocked out the back-to-back defending champs in the round of 16 with a 5-4 penalty shootout. The USWNT controlled possession better than Sweden […]

The tandem of Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni has the Philadelphia Eagles flying high heading into the 2023 season. After taking a leap in each of the last two, the expectations have grown — as has their relationship. Both came into Philadelphia with meager expectations. Sirianni didn’t impress himself right away and Hurts was seen […]

When it comes to Jonathan Taylor’s trade request, the Indianapolis Colts have stuck themselves between a rock and a hard place. The unwillingness to pay their best offensive player a big contract — despite now being the time to do so with Anthony Richardson on a rookie deal — has left them in a difficult […]

The Chicago Cubs may not have a long winning streak anymore, but what’s the next best thing? Probably scoring a ridiculous amount of runs, right? Against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds, they have done just that. Over their last two games, the Cubs have scored 36 runs. They haven’t done that since 1897. A five-RBI game […]

The Los Angeles Dodgers once again made moves ahead of the trade deadline, landing them solid players like Lance Lynn, Amed Rosario, Kiké Hernandez, Ryan Yarbrough and Joe Kelly. They hoped that Eduardo Rodriguez would be another player that they acquired as they look to contend for a title. Rodriguez, a very good pitcher for […]

Allen Iverson left his mark on the Philadelphia 76ers like no player before or since. In addition to becoming an era-defining superstar for the Sixers, he became a beloved figure in the city of Philadelphia. Few athletes in the sports-crazed city are remembered as fondly as Iverson — and the love is mutual. At an […]

Anyone looking to see who steps up for the Kansas City Chiefs this season should, if they haven’t already, learn the name Justyn Ross. Patrick Mahomes is impressed with the 23-year-old wideout that could become a key fixture in the passing game. There’s a lot to be ironed out before the season but Ross seems […]

The Minnesota Twins are in the middle of a tight playoff race with the Cleveland Guardians, leading them by just two games with two months left of games. But that’s not how USA TODAY Sports reporter Bob Nightengale sees it. The Twins did nothing at the 2023 MLB trade deadline besides swapping relievers with the […]

The Houston Astros made a massive splash at the trade deadline by bringing back Justin Verlander. At the same time, they were treated to a masterful performance by Framber Valdez. He threw a no-hitter, making him the first Houston pitcher to throw one by himself since Verlander in 2019. Valdez carved up the Cleveland Guardians […]

The Chicago Cubs recently lost an eight-game winning streak. But that streak may have been the force that gets them into the playoffs. Without it, they would have been sellers at the trade deadline and bound for another losing season. Ahead of the deadline, they told teams that they would not trade pending free agent […]

After receiving a day off from the lineup, Nick Castellanos entered the second game of the Philadelphia Phillies’ road series against the Miami Marlins looking to break out of a slump. He was named to his second All-Star game this season but was terrible in July. It took until the very end of the game […]

CAMDEN, NJ — Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaden Springer took a break from his offseason work to make an appearance at the Jr. 76ers Summer Hoops Tour. Helping the kids with drills and taking pictures — which he did on a previous stop on the tour in July after the Sixers’ Summer League contests — gave […]

For the Philadelphia 76ers, free agency in 2023 was largely the same as in 2022: figure out how to keep James Harden (or find something suitable in his place) and add value in the margins. As July comes to a close, their offseason moves leave more questions than answers. This year’s Sixers offseason featured numerous […]

The expectations are mounting for Atlanta Falcons rookie Bijan Robinson. The Falcons’ running back will be one of the team’s primary offensive skill players right away, placing him in the middle of a rebuilding roster with lots of responsibility. But by all accounts, he isn’t faltering. Robinson’s performance in training camp has been quite impressive […]

With just hours remaining until the 2023 MLB trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies find themselves in need of serious help. They could very well miss the playoffs after winning the National League pennant. Underperformances from its biggest stars and a few notable injuries have left them in desperate need of a midseason boost. Among the […]

After being fairly dormant leading up to the 2023 MLB trade deadline, the mystery team is popping up as a potential suitor. This time, it’s for New York Mets pitcher Justin Verlander. Jon Heyman of MLB Network and the New York Post mentioned that at least one other team is showing interest in Verlander along […]

Dan Campbell and Jared Goff are leading the Detroit Lions back to relevance. They have been in lockstep together as they try to make one of the NFL’s biggest losers a winner. The head coach vouched on the quarterback’s behalf when he arrived in Detroit. Before they joined forces with the Lions, Campbell was an […]

How good will Justin Fields be in the 2023 season? The Chicago Bears are certainly eager to find out. The Bears drafted Fields just two years ago but could have gone a different way at the 2023 NFL Draft. Rather than go for guys like Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson or C.J. Stroud, they made a […]

The Houston Rockets ranked in the bottom five in defensive rating in each of the last three seasons. That should finally change in 2023-24 with defensive-minded head coach Ime Udoka fielding a roster featuring up-and-coming defensive star Tari Eason and veterans like Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet. As a rookie, Eason flashed some intriguing upside […]

The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to defend their Super Bowl in 2023. Fantasy football players looking to win their leagues this season should employ a strategy that the Chiefs have used for years: have Travis Kelce on your roster. For fantasy football, Kelce remains one of the best overall players and the very best […]

George Pickens is set to be the next great wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A team that has boasted spectacular talent at that position now turns over to the 22-year-old out of Georgia, who had a very solid rookie season and projects to be even better in 2023. Pickens has made a name for […]

The Philadelphia Eagles are bringing back a fan-favorite for the 2023 season: Kelly Green jerseys. After teasing fans about the release of the highly anticipated threads, pictures from the team’s official photoshoot leaked online, prompting the team to make an official announcement days before its scheduled release. Today, Monday, July 31, is the day that […]

As the Chicago Cubs’ winning streak grows, their chances of becoming sellers at the trade deadline shrink. Winners of eight straight games, Chicago is gaining ground in the National League playoff race. Cody Bellinger, once seen as one of the best players available at the 2023 MLB trade deadline, is going nowhere. The Cubs have […]

Aaron Judge is back. The New York Yankees superstar has returned from a toe injury, fighting through pain to help his team in the thick of a playoff race. He played a key part in a victory in his second game since injuring his right big toe on June 3. In his second game back […]

The New York Giants are ramping up for a big 2023 season. Even with Saquon Barkley back after a contract dispute, it’s up to Daniel Jones to get the team back in the playoffs. The returns to action for wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Jamison Crowder should help. With Jones now being paid top dollar, […]

Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford went head-to-head at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The crowd was treated to a dominant performance from Crawford, who secured the welterweight championship with a TKO early in the ninth round. He knocked Spence down three times on his way to the win. Stars from around the sports world […]

The New York Mets are admitting defeat at the 2023 MLB trade deadline. Not only did they trade closer David Robertson but also star pitcher Max Scherzer, who got sent to the Texas Rangers in exchange for infield prospect Luisangel Acuña. Meanwhile, the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes will resume in the offseason and the Mets’ deep […]

The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to leave Wells Fargo Center to build its own home in Center City Philadelphia. 76DevCorp, the company behind the project for the proposed arena, 76 Place, strives to renovate an existing space within the city and construct an arena that will open in time for the Sixers’ 2031-32 season. Some […]

The St. Louis Cardinals will look to sell at the 2023 MLB trade deadline. In the midst of a brutal season, it’s the best stance to take. Guys like Jack Flaherty, Jordan Montgomery and Paul DeJong are expected to be on new teams as the calendar turns to August. In what he perceived to be […]

The Los Angeles Angels are going for it. Even though it runs the risk of losing Shohei Ohtani in free agency, they are hunting for a playoff spot. They began their quest to add talent at the 2023 MLB trade deadline by acquiring Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez in a trade with the Chicago White […]

Sam Darnold appears to be making a name for himself again with the San Francisco 49ers. While the headliners for the starting quarterback job are Brock Purdy and Trey Lance, Darnold is not out of the running despite showing little competency as a starting quarterback over his five-year career. His arm strength and mobility leave […]